History | Smithsonian

Experts Reconstruct Letter by Auschwitz Prisoner

Marcel Nadjari buried his letter hoping it would one day reach his family

The True Story of The Death of Stalin

“Veep” creator Armando Iannucci’s upcoming dark comedy pulls from the stranger-than-fiction real-life events surrounding Stalin’s death

Historical Structure Burns in California Fires

The iconic Round Barn was destroyed at Fountaingrove, once home to a Utopian community and one of America’s first Japanese immigrants

Egyptians Loved Their Cats

A show opening at the Sackler dramatizes the various meanings that the people of Egypt once associated with cats

Inside the House of Zyklon B

An iconic Hamburg building, built by Jews and now a chocolate museum, once housed the distributors of one of Nazi Germany's most gruesome inventions

Marie Curie, War Hero?

During World War I, the scientist invented a mobile x-ray unit, called a "Little Curie," and trained 150 women to operate it

This Is Why France Invaded Mexico

In 1861, Mexico refused to pay back the sizable debt it owed to countries like France. It was a decision that would prompt France, under Napoleon III, to launch a full-scale invasion

The Man Who "Captured" Lincoln's Ghost on Camera

When America’s first aerial cameraman met an infamous spirit photographer, the chemistry was explosive

Experts Reconstruct Letter by Auschwitz Prisoner — Experts Reconstruct Letter by Auschwitz Prisoner

Marcel Nadjari buried his letter hoping it would one day reach his family

The True Story of The Death of Stalin — The True Story of The Death of Stalin

“Veep” creator Armando Iannucci’s upcoming dark comedy pulls from the stranger-than-fiction real-life events surrounding Stalin’s death

Historical Structure Burns in California Fires — Historical Structure Burns in California Fires

The iconic Round Barn was destroyed at Fountaingrove, once home to a Utopian community and one of America’s first Japanese immigrants

Egyptians Loved Their Cats — Egyptians Loved Their Cats

A show opening at the Sackler dramatizes the various meanings that the people of Egypt once associated with cats

Inside the House of Zyklon B — Inside the House of Zyklon B

An iconic Hamburg building, built by Jews and now a chocolate museum, once housed the distributors of one of Nazi Germany's most gruesome inventions

Marie Curie, War Hero? — Marie Curie, War Hero?

During World War I, the scientist invented a mobile x-ray unit, called a "Little Curie," and trained 150 women to operate it

This Is Why France Invaded Mexico — This Is Why France Invaded Mexico

In 1861, Mexico refused to pay back the sizable debt it owed to countries like France. It was a decision that would prompt France, under Napoleon III, to launch a full-scale invasion

The Man Who "Captured" Lincoln's Ghost on Camera — The Man Who "Captured" Lincoln's Ghost on Camera

When America’s first aerial cameraman met an infamous spirit photographer, the chemistry was explosive

October 17, 2017 10:33AM

The Minister Who Invented Camping in America

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These Never-Before-Seen Photos From "The New York Times" Offer a New Glimpse Into African-American History

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The Release of JFK Assassination Files Later This Month Has Conspiracy Theorists On the Edge of Their Seats

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The Battle of Fort McHenry through Francis Scott Key's Eyes

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Evel Knievel's Famous Snake River Canyon Jump

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The 1938 Hurricane That Revived New England's Fall Colors

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This Is Why France Invaded Mexico

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How Marie Curie Brought X-Ray Machines To the Battlefield

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Collection of Eleanor Roosevelt’s Writing Captures the First Lady’s Lasting Relevance

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Why the Ancient Egyptians Loved Their Kitties

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